Nullification
by ssfr
Summary: A long time ago there was a story called "Nullifier 122" It amused me at the same time as squicking me badly . . . so here is a variation on the theme.
1. Chapter 1

_ this first intro and disclaimer were from when I first posted it, over a decade ago._

After not doing so for a monkey's age, I finally get around to retyping this. Ah well.

This is mine. I wrote it, so I've got copyright on it. I borrowed the characters from Shogakukan, Takahashi Rumiko, Kodansha, and Takeuchi Naoko. If they ever learn of it, I hope they say nice things.

The main plot element, I admit to stealing, since Webdragon's story was, interesting, but a major squick for me. I hope he'll say nice things too ^_^

Anyone who reads this: I hope you'll say anything at all, even `Bwahaha, how could you write such a lousy piece of tripe!' (but if you say that, you'd better know what tripe _is_, or it's cheating.

This story has some elements that some people feel are inappropriate for minors, the general public, and anyone of proper moral standing. If you are such a person, please do not read it, or at least send good feedback if you do.

Enjoy, Suika (comment fiend. Please, reply! [addresses elided] )

*_*

presenting  
at long last  
a story by  
Suika Roberts  
inspired by  
Webdragon 's  
Nullifier 122

[-rse?][Nullification][one hundred][twenty][two][potion?formula?]

`What's this?' I ask the little Chinese peddler, holding the small bottle up for his inspection. Only the last few characters of the label remain, the half-character at the top might be [curse], the next are [nullify 1 hundred twenty two], and the last might be [formula], or perhaps [potion].

`I don't know. I bought it from this man who claimed it was cure for curses. He said he stole it from the Nyuucheizuu.'

`How much?'

`It's a nice bottle, but I've carried it around a long time. 125 yen?'

`Sure.' The peddler's right, the bottle's worth it even if it isn't a cure. What harm could come from trying it anyway? I quickly block the stream of images, dig a handfull of coins out of my pocket, and pass over a fifty, a 25, a pair of ten, a five, and five one yen coins. He hands the bottle over before I can go back to digging in my pocket, and I stash it safely. I mumble a thank you.

`You're welcome, miss.' The possible cure in my pocket and the lingering sense of well-being from my mother's acceptance of my curse allow me to ignore being called ojouchan.

I feel the bottle in my pocket as I walk home. If it was like all the other cures I'd tried I should pour it into a bucket and dump it over my head. Or maybe drink it. I'll try the first way, and if it doesn't work I'll try the other. The stuff can't taste good after all that time in a bottle.

`Tadaima!' I call, taking off my shoes.

`Okaerinasai!' comes the reply from the kitchen. Oh no. Akane's in the kitchen, which means she's probably cooking. I'll try the cure and if it works it may well distract her from making me try her concoction.

`I'm gonna take a bath!'

`Un!'

I step into the laundry room, making sure to set out the sign. I strip down, pull the bottle from my pocket, and enter the bathroom. I wash off, rinse, then stare into the bucket for a moment before refilling it with warm water, not quite hot enough to trigger the change. I uncork the bottle, waft a smell of back to my nose; I learned my lesson about that the hard way, snorting in a nice lungfull of ammonia in chemistry class. I don't recongnize the smell, but the strongest are ginsing and licorice, overlaid by either cassia or cinnamon. Really hope it isn't cassia. I'd never admit it, but cassia gives me really nasty headaches. I carefully pour a quarter of the bottle's contents into the bucket. The pale red-brown liquid diffuses quickly, giving off no fumes and not making the water bubble. I swish it about in the bucket, then remember to recork the bottle and put it out of the way.

I sit back down on the stool and pick up the bucket, steeling myself for the disappointment before dumping it over my head.

*Thump*

I look up from the floor, totally confused about what knocked me off the stool, into a pair of very familiar grey eyes. I stand, knowing my eyes are still saphire blue, grab a towel and start drying off. `You should make sure that cold water doesn't turn you into a girl. I'm almost positive that you're cured, though, Ranma. If you're not, tell me.' I hear the water run as I finish drying, grab the bottle and walk to the door. The water splashes over him as I slide the door open, turn to see what I expected to see, then step through the door and slide it closed behind me. Taking the clean set of clothing I get dressed, stuff the bottle into my pocket, and walk down to the kitchen.

`Akane,' my voice cracks as I say her name, `I bought a partial cure today. I . . . there's two of me. He's upstairs, still, I think. I'm going to talk to Obaba, 'cause it was a Nyuucheizuu potion.' Akane gapes at me, stunned. `The stuff on the stove is burning.' She eeps and turns back to her cooking. The situations bears down on me a little harder, and I bounce away over the rooftops.

`Obaba!' I call from the door, looking at the 'closed' sign. Being polite can't hurt, and 'crone' is a lot better than 'old troll.'

`Nan Ja, mukudono?'

`Need to talk to you 'bout something.'

`Come in.' I push the door open, entering quickly. The chairs are still down, so I take a seat, watch quietly as she sits. `What do you want to talk about, mukudono?'

`What is formula 122 nullifier?'

`What is that?' I draw the characters, and she recognizes them. `How did you find out about that?'

`I bought a bottle of it from this peddler.'

`Very dangerous. It was developed about a thousand years ago as a method of either quickly increasing the village's population or preserving techniques.

`When the cursed springs were first discovered they were recognized instantly as a powerful tool. Within a hundred years the 'instant nanniichuan' and other preparations were developed. About twelve hundred years ago Xian Tou realized there was enough power in the curse to copy a person, body and spirit. Xian Tou set up the project, using white mice and instant brown mouse water. The nullifiers were numbered from the attempts that actually did something, and incremented whenever the formula changed enough to do something else. 122 was the second to do what Xian Tou wanted, and the first without an 85% casualty rate in mice.

`The problem with 122 was discovered with humans, and then tested on the mice. If an individual cannot maintain their bonds to others, 122 will kill them. When they seperated the copied mice from their peers, and either placed them with their other self or in individual cages, they died. A copied mouse placed with other mice survived. Copied mice kept as pets also survived, if their human handled them a lot.

`In humans it was not as clear-cut, but individuals without strong ties to others, families, lovers, died. Warriors who had a very good attachment to their lovers would have both survive most of the time. Individuals who didn't have a lover usually died. Xian Tou and her assistants talked with all of the survivors and came up with some guidlines for its use. I'd need to check, but I don't think you fall within those guidelines, and I really don't think you'd want to use it.'

`Too late.' I fish the bottle from my pocket and show it to her. `What kind of problems can I expect?'

`I don't know. A lot of records were lost in the great fire five hundred years ago. Amoung those was the formula for the number 240 nullifier, which finally worked properly.

`A couple of my friends used it about two hundred years ago, and they both came through quite well. Of course, her lover knew what was going on and was ready to support her after the split.

`I didn't see them for a couple days after the split, and my friend, both of her, were unusually clingy for about a month after that.

`If you have a friend you can go cling to, do it. I've invested too much time in you to risk, daughter.'

`I will not marry Shanpoo, not even like this.'

`I know better than to try that. I was really angry with her when I heard that she'd given you the kiss of death and chased you off. When I found out about the curse I was even more angry, because I could tell that she had no chance of catching you.

`You have the most potential of anyone I've seen in decades and I wanted you so badly because of that,' she looks at me, probably expecting revulsion, `but I couldn't have you as my daughter until Shanpoo gave up on you. She did tell me that I could have you if you were ever incurably stuck.'

`I think this qualifies.' It hasn't hit nearly as hard as it did the last time I was stuck, and the chiisuiton had been less problematical than the 'cat's tongue' point.

`Un. Shanpoo is too straight and too proud for her own good. If she weren't so straight I'd be honorbound to make one last attempt to catch you for her, but she just doesn't appreciate females that way. As things are, I suggest you talk to Ukyou, for she doesn't strike me as being homophobic, her familiy isn't about to interfere, and she is firmly attached to you. Akane might also work, but she is terribly afraid of intimacy, and her family feels terribly homophobic.

`It is your call, of course, but once you have a decent link with someone, come back here and I'll continue teaching you. Is this agreeable, daughter?'

`Un.' She leans over and kises me on my forehead. I'm shocked by the warm cared-for feeling it generates, a far cry from the revulsion it would have engendered earlier. `Thank you.' She pats my hand.

I put my chair up on the table, bow more deeply than I would have to one of my teachers at school, then leave, walking almost aimlessly.

I arrive at a library, and enter on a whim. After looking about for a little while I pull an old volume from the shelf, noting that it was published about the turn of the century. The story draws me in, a fairly simple girl's school romance, the protagonist's crush on one of her classmates. I memorize the page number, then set out looking for what it made me think of. *This is really pitiful. I can't even think the word.*

I give up on looking through the shelves, and approach the terminal with trepidation. I choose a subject search and type the word in. I write down the numbers quickly and blank the screen. Standing in front of the shelf I wonder what is actually worth reading. If this were martial arts I would be able to read a couple pages and know whether or not something is worth the trouble.

*Saa-tte, what are those things called . . . * I read a few titles, then it comes to me. *This is gonna be embarrassing.* I get to my feet, walk to the front and check out the fluf piece, then ask the female librarian at the counter.

`Do you know where I can find a . . lesbian-feminist bookstore?' *I managed to say the word without thinking it first. Didn't know that could be done.*

She notes the pause where I regathered my courage, and treats it as a perfectly normal request. *Which I'd hope it is . . . * `Anou, the closest one . . . ' and she gives me directions to four, and says which one she thinks is best. I check to make sure that I wrote them all down right.

`Thank you _so_ much.' I reach out and squeeze her hand as emphasis. *So very bold*

`You're welcome.' She smiles at me, and the wrinkles about her eyes crinkle attractively. I smile back, flush, and run out the door, pausing to smile back at her before exiting.

A moment's looking about enables me to figure out where I've wandered to, and I choose a fence going in the right direction. I find my place in the novel, then set off down the fence-top at a slightly slower pace than normal, as my peripheral vision isn't up to the task of keeping me on the fence at a faster pace while reading. The fence turns from the direction that I want to go, so I mark my place with a finger and drop to the surface. I get through another four chapters on the way to Utchan's, and work out the techniques for walking while reading.

`Hiya, Utchan.' I fold the book about my left hand, taking a seat in front of the grill. *Courage* I reach over the grill, supporting myself with my left hand and the book as I stroke her left cheek with my knuckles. She smiles at me and I drop back onto my stool before attempting to hide my blush behind my book.

`What didja do that for?'

I lower the book before replying, `I need to talk to you after you've cleared everyone out.'

`Sure.' She suddenly places an okonomiyaki in front of me, and the pause to memorize my page number is enough for me to notice a pattern in the sauce on the okonmiyaki. I turn the plate all the way around twice before I manage to decipher it. --Ranchan daisuki--

`Do you always put things like this on my okonomiyaki?'

`Yes.'

*my, she must really have it bad. Why won't these tears stop?* `First time I've noticed.' to distract myself from my tears I take a bite of the okonomiyaki, duck my chin and finish it quickly. *at least the tears stopped.*

`You OK?' I realize that she's chased all five of her customers out and flipped the sign.

`Not really. I picked up a 'cure' while shopping today. Unfortunately, I didn't talk to anyone about it first. It split me into two almost identical people. The other 'me' is male, though.'

`Oh no!' She hugs me tightly, and I start crying again.

She sits on the stool next to me, I only notice because she lets go of me to do it, then gathers me into her lap. I snuggle into her arms, posilutely soaking the front of her shirt.

At last I gather my courage, look up into Ukyou's eyes, then stretch myself upward to kiss her on the lips. She startles, then returns the kiss with fierce passion, slipping her tongue between my unresisting lips, her hands sliding into my shirt, stroking my back as she holds me close.

After an indeterminate period of time she breaks the kiss, gathering me back into her arms before standing up. She carries me easily, her unnoticed strength warming me somehow. She carries me easily up the stairs to her rooms, setting me down for a moment while she pulls out her futon and lays it out. I walk up to her, wrap my arms around her from behind, press my face against her back.

`Utchan,' she makes an acknowledging noise, `Is it OK if we just sleep tonight? I don't want to taint my memories of my first time with what happened today.'

She twists about in my arms, wraps me in a firm hug. `Of course.'

Despite my words I don't sleep much, enjoying too much the feeling of being close to her, of her strong arms about me, her firm flesh beneath me. I could tell she wasn't sleeping either, but we each maintained the illusion.

---  
1998 Nov 12: log added and reentry begun.  
1998 Nov 12: Re-entry finished. ^_^  
1998 Dec 20: Regenerated last couple paragraphs.  
1999 Jan 03: some typos and spelling errors fixed.  
1999 Feb 15: added title section, author-notes type stuff at the top, and moved story out of drafts subdir  
2002 Jul 27: added current contact address  
2009 Jun 23: tiny edits, uploaded to ff.n


	2. Chapter 2

This is mine. I wrote it, so I've got copyright on it. I borrowed the characters and background from Shogakukan, Takahashi Rumiko, Kodansha, and Takeuchi Naoko. If they ever learn of it, I hope they say nice things.

The main plot element, I admit to stealing, since Webdragon's story was, interesting, but a major squick for me. I hope he'll say nice things too ^_^

Anyone who reads this: I hope you'll say anything at all, even 'Bwahaha, how could you write such a lousy piece of tripe!' (but if you say that, you'd better know what tripe _is_, or it's cheating)

This story has some elements that some people feel are inappropriate for minors, the general public, and anyone of proper moral standing. If you are such a person, please do not read it, or at least send good feedback if you do.

Enjoy, Suika (comment fiend. Please, reply!) (note from 2002/Jul/27)

presenting  
at long last  
a story by  
Suika Roberts  
inspired by Webdragon's Nullifier 122

[-rse?][Nullification][one hundred][twenty][two][potion?formula?]  
chapter the second

"Utchan, tell Aka- the others and the teachers that I won't be in to school today, and possibly not tomorrow," she nods, staring at the table. So I made breakfast, what of it? I'm not as good as Obaba, or Kasumi, or my mother, but I'm a sight better than Oyaji. "Go ahead, it won't kill you," I serve myself in exasperation, put the ladle back and scoot a bowl over to her.

"Oh, Ranchan . . ." she breaks off and does something I hadn't expected at all. She starts crying. I just stare at her, shocked, wondering what I did wrong, for a long moment, *Do Something* good idea. I set my bowl down and hurry over to her, wrap my arms about her firmly.

"What's wrong? What did I do?" she shakes her head against my cheek, clasps her hands over my elbows.

"Nothing. It's just that no one else has cooked me breakfast since I learned how." She lets me go and wiggles around to face me. "It was just such a shock. You never cooked in my daydreams, and this just made me realize that this is actually happening, that I've really got you." She kisses me, firmly, gently, on the lips; it takes all my willpower to break that contact.

"Eat. You want to be on time to school." She nods, hugs me tightly

"Thank you for cooking breakfast, Ranchan." She serves herself and I return to my food, realizing as I do so that I'd cooked enough for six again. It all gets eaten, though, so I guess it's OK.

"Ittekimasu!" Utchan calls, a smile in her voice.

"Itterashai!" I reply, an unexpected warmth in my belly. I wish for an instant that I could see her off, then realize she's already left. I'll have to wash the dishes faster tomorrow.

I call the bookstore most highly recomended yesterday for directions. They turn out to be a couple blocks from Toukyou Eki, or about eight kilometers away. The woman who answered the phone had a really nice voice, too.

-8-

I drop to the street in front of the store, managing to avoid landing on anyone, a small feat considering the crowd. I'm still breathing hard as I go the door, and pause in abject shock. It looked just like a bookstore. I start reading shelf-labels, not sure if I'm disappointed or glad about that.

I find the shelf I think I'm looking for, and start systematicly looking, reading blurbs, and getting ever more confused. I finally pull the book that looked least confusing off the shelf and sink to the floor to read it. It's about three hours later that I finish it. I stare at the cover for a moment, then stand to reshelve it, pause at the last moment to read the copyright date. I shelve the book at last and sag against the shelf opposite, worried.

"Nakayama-sensei is very pessimistic. Tanaka, Honda, and Doi are closer to what I've seen." I look up at the voice, expecting someone rather butch from her voice and masculine word choice. I blink up at the tall young man next to me, then the details clue me in that, no, this person isn't male.

"Thanks. With martial arts I can tell who's right on, who's a little off, and who's blowing it out their ear; I've not the experience with this kinda thing, I only came out to myself yesterday. I figured I'd come by and ask for books that would give me some kinda clue about what to expect." I make a self-depreciating face at her, "I'd planned to ask, but when I walked in I pegged you as male."

"That happens a lot, actually. Sometimes it's nice, sometimes it isn't. You're a high school student, right?" I nod, "Me too. I have Wednesday mornings off though, so I put in four hours here, and they pay me in books," lots of schools get all bent about their students working, so that seems a good work-around. "I've a fair collection now, so if you're ditching anyway I could swing you by our house, let you go through my books."

"Our?"

"Yeah, me and my friend Michiru." It takes a moment for the euphemism to flag itself, then I nod.

"If you're willing to eat my cooking I'm sure Ukyou wouldn't mind if I brought you by for dinner."

"That'd be nice, there's probably four of us, though," she suddenly looks up, murmors an apology, and rushes to the counter to check out one of the two other customers. I drift over to continue chatting with her.

"What's your name?" I look at her funny. "Michiru gets upset with me when I tell her things like 'I met this qute at the bookstore today, brought her home, and loaned her a buncha books,' so I'd better have your name."

"So you've done this before."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm Saotome Ranma."

"The martial artist? I thought you were male, or at least taller."

"It's a long story, and you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I live one of those lives." She reaches out and tossles my hair, "My name's Ten'ou Haruka." I think I should recognise both the name and the face, but I can't. It must have shown, for she continues, "The F1 racer," and it clicks.

"Just about everyone at school talks about you. I must admit to not having paid much attention, though."

She smiles at me, "It's OK. I can say the same about you; a couple of my friends were at a park the day you trashed it about a year back, but I don't remember much more than that."

I try to remember the incident, but there were so many that match the discription that I can't be sure. "I probably don't remember which time that was, but maybe if you give me more details I could place it."

She looks at me a bit funny, then laughs. "You got your shirt ripped and the girl who was with you was all upset about it. The guy you were fighting got a nosebleed when he noticed, according to Usagi-chan."

"Nope, Ryouga didn't nosebleed, he just blushed and turned away. That was one of the first fights after I got back from China, and made one of the bigger messes."

"Oh good, my relief is here. Mai, this is Saotome Ranma."

"Kotobuki Mai, nice to meet you." I smile at her, and she smiles back. She is a very pretty woman, about fifty, pleasantly wrinkled.

I chat with Mai for a little bit while Haruka disappears into the back, returning after a moment with a backpack and a set of keys in her hand.

"Yoush, ready to go?"

"Un."

"Oh, she's invited you somewhere, has she? Careful, she's a dreadful flirt."

"I figured that much out already. Thanks for the warning, though." Mai gives me a hug, which feels very nice, even though I wasn't expecting it, then I follow Haruka from the shop. She leads me for a couple blocks, finally to a parked car. It is rather curvy, somewhat old looking in a nice way. She unlocks the passenger side door, lets me in, then gets in herself and starts the car. About ten minutes into the ride I realize that the seats are leather, and upgrade my estimate of her wealth again.

The huge house she pulls up to makes me wonder about even that increased estimate, and she laughs when she notices my face.

"The house is Setsuna's, but the four of us share it."

I notice the number again, and ask about it this time, "Four of us?"

"Michiru and I, Setsuna, and Hotaru. Hotaru is our collectively adopted daughter, and a real handful sometimes."

"How old is she?"

"Sometimes it seems she's as old as the world, other times she's only about six. You'll get to meet her when we get inside." She leads the way to the house, enters without knocking, announcing that she'd brought a guest.

A little girl, almost as tall as I am, comes bounding into the room, stopping suddenly and staring into my face. She doesn't say anything, but doesn't hide either.

"Hotaru-chan, I'd like you to meet Saotome Ranma." Her eyes get big at the name, and she's suddenly almost in my face.

"Can you really jump onto roofs without any magic at all?"

"No magic," I hold my hand out palm up, remembering one of the more pleasant things Oyaji liked to do when I was small, "link your hands over mine," I demonstrate when she doesn't, lacing my fingers together, then hold my hand out agiain. Small fingers grab me lightly, and I lift the girl into the air a half-meter or so, then set her down again. The worried feeling from the green-haired woman who'd followed Hotaru fades.

"Again!" Hotaru demands, her fingers laced together in front of her, braced just under her chin-level this time. I lift her again, look at Haruka, then back at Hotaru.

"Just tell me when you want to be put down," I tell Hotaru, then look to Haruka, "Books?" Hotaru giggles as I follow Haruka into a room just filled with books. All four walls are covered floor to ceiling, and there are free standing book shelves taking up about half the remaining space. I make sure I don't accidentally knock Hotaru into anything as I follow Haruka, who stops in front of the far wall.

"Everyone on this shelf pretty much knows what they're talking about. The other shelves are a bit more of a mix," she tells me, looking at Hotaru, who's still dangling from my right hand.

I start looking, pulling the occasional volume from the shelf. After a couple moments I look at Hotaru, "Would you like to be set down? Having my hand back would make it easier to look for books." Hotaru shakes her head, but her arms are beginning to shake from fatigue. "Howbout you climb onto my back? That way," Hotaru's already dropped to the ground, so I kneel down, and she climbs onto my back.

A short while later I hear Haruka say something about leaving, and telling Setsuna when I go, but I don't pay as much attention as I should. A while after that I realize Hotaru's somehow fallen asleep on my back, but it doesn't seem too big of a deal. A good while later I look up again, realizing that the room is a lot darker than it was, and the sun is going down. I memorize my page number, pull the four other volumes I was most interested in from the shelf, and take them in search of Setsuna, who I assume is the green haired woman I saw earlier. I hear the front door open as I get to the hallway, and I look up at Haruka and an aqua-haired girl with her.

Haruka smiles at me, "How long have you been holding her?"

"Since before you left. She fell asleep about two hundred pages ago, though." I turn to the aqua-haired girl, "Saotome Ranma, pleased to meet you," I bow slightly, careful of the sleeping girl on my back.

"Kai'ou Michiru. I see you've already met Hotaru-chan."

"Yep. I think I saw Setsuna as well, but I didn't get introduced to her." Hotaru stirs on my back, almost falling off before I grab her hands.

She wakes the rest of the way as I kneel down again. "Thank you," she says, giving me a hug before running to hug 'Haruka-papa' and 'Michiru-mama.' The sight engenders a weird pang of longing, which I file away for later contemplation.

Haruka catches my attention, "Ranma?" and I look up at her.

"Yeah?"

"Could we give you a lift home? It's getting a little dark."

I contemplate the offer for a moment before accepting. "I guess I'd better take you up on that, since I don't want to worry Ukyou."

They exchange a single glance, then Michiru steps forward, "Where do you live?"

I give directions as she leads me out the door, holding it to make navigating with the stack of books in my arms easier. I nod thanks, and she leads me to a different, not so curvy, car. I set the books on the floor in front of the passenger seat while she gets in on the right side, buckle my belt when she tells me to, and she actually manages to draw me into a conversation, something I would not have considered possible if I had been asked. I learn a good bit about her, about her housemates, and give a great deal back in return. She stops in front of Utchan, and I gather the stack of books. She gets out, smiles, and gives my shoulder a light squeeze as I make thanks for the ride.

"Who was that?" Utchan asks me, walking up behind me as Michiru drives off.

"Kai'ou Michiru. Her girlfriend loaned me a stack of books, and she was kind enough to give me a ride back into town." Utchan's hand softens on my shoulder, and I realize she had been jealous. I turn my head, catch her fingers with my lips and squeeze them lightly.

"Hey, what was that for?" she squeals delightedly. I lean back against her, my movements hampered by the stack of books, and she gives me a firm hug before she continues, her voice tinged with regret, "I need to get back to work."

"Can you watch the sunset with me for a little longer?" She nods, her chin stroking my hair.

A few short moments later the colors fade to grey, and I twist to kiss the underside of her chin. "You need to get back to work," I say in reply to the very disappointed noise she makes when I stop. She lets me go, heading back inside and stepping back behind the grill. I take the books upstairs, fish the one I was reading out of the middle of the stack, and proceed to discover that it is a lot easier to read when one isn't standing up.

I polish off the book, close it, and rest my head against it's cover for a moment, letting what I read settle. After a moment I blink, realizing something I should have earlier. I stack the books again, get up, and go in search of Utchan, because she didn't have that much cleaning to do, or I would have insisted on helping.

"Utchan?" She looks up, her face damp and blotchy. A great hand grabs hold of my guts and twists, and I approach her in a rush. "What's wrong?" her face twitches at the sight of me, and that hand squeezes tighter, "What did I do?"

She just shakes her head at me, not speaking. I sit on the floor next to her, press my face to her thigh, and ask again, "What did I do? Please, tell me. I would have helped with the cleanup, but you were almost done. I thought I'd see you fourty-five minutes ago." Her hand brushes against my hair, and I twist to kiss her fingers, "Talk to me, please."

"Where were you all day? You disappear in the morning and don't return until some girl drops you off. Then you tell me something about her girlfriend and disappear into my room. What am I supposed to think?" Her voice is shaken; I hadn't realized how strong her preconception of how things should be was. I catch her fingers in mine, keep from protesting the strength of her grip by main force.

"I went to the bookstore early in the morning, tachiyomi'd a book, and then Ten'ou Haruka, Michiru-san's girlfriend, came over to talk to me. She invited me to borrow some of her books, and so I got a ride from her to her house. She introduced me to their daughter, and I spent most of the day reading in their library with the kid on my back. I only realized it was getting late when the sun started down, and they came home right after that." I gasp involuntarily when Utchan's fingers loosen, and she looks down. I try to catch her eyes, but she pulls up my hand instead, her lips soft against the bruised flesh.

"Why didn't you protest?" she asks, tears again forming in her eyes.

I get to my knees, kiss her cheek lightly. "Because it would have shifted your attention from what I was saying."

"Why did you wait so long before you came down, then?"

I stand, press myself against her, "I was reading while I waited. I only noticed something was wrong when you weren't up there when I finished the book." I kiss her again, trailing soft, light kisses up her throat, over her chin, almost making it to her lips before she wraps her fingers in my hair and draws me in, her kiss deep, hot, soul-warming.

I don't bother trying to place what I feel, content to revel in the feel of her skin against my lips, her hands stroking me, warm against my back. After an indeterminately long time I can't stand it any more, and gather her up in my arms, her greater mass a little unwieldy until she wrapped her arms about my neck again. I manage not to bonk her into the wall, doorway, or stairwell as I carry her up to her room.

She kisses me when I set her on her feet again, and my knees actually collapse, letting me drop to the ground. She tries belatedly to catch me, and I sit up, rubbing my head.

"You weren't," we start simultaineously, then she starts laughing, and I join her, for it is fairly silly. Martial Artists just don't bump their heads on the floor without a good reason. Although, that kiss was a pretty good reason. I smile up at her, contemplating the problem of fishing the futon out, when she goes and pulls it out of its compartment. I help her spread it before knocking her feet out from under her, catching her full weight on my hands, then lowering her to rest against my chest.

"Caught you." She laughs, her hands sliding up under my shirt. I suddenly realize that her hands are huge, almost long enough to streach all the way across my belly. I catch one, pull it carefully into place and hold it flat, waiting for her to notice. After a moment she does, blinking.

"I never realized you were so tiny." She smiles broadly, leans close and starts kissing my belly, nibbling lightly.

I moan appreciatively, pressing up against her, "I'm not tiny, you're huge."

She leaves off kissing me, and I moan in dissappointment before she starts on my shirt buttons. "I'm not the person who changed. You were the same size as I was when we met."

The belts on her outfit come off fairly easily, as does her shirt, and I pull her against me again after getting it off. "I remember. You've grown about a meter since then. I'm closer to the size I was when you first met me than you are." She giggles, her chest wrap scraping lightly against my bare skin, then rolls off of me. My shirt joins the pile of her clothes on the floor before I try to help her out of her tights. They eventually surrender to our tugging and her wiggling, and are added to the pile. Three ties and a tiny bit of wiggling and my pants join the pile, leaving us clad in just our boxers and her chest wrap. I eye the bulge I finally notice in her shorts with a tiny bit of apprehension, and she notices.

"Sock. Draws the female customers like you would not believe," she smiles at me, "'course, it doesn't attract all of them." She unpins her chest wrap, carefully replacing the safety pins as she goes, then begins unwrapping. Quickly she unwraps it, balling the stiff material as she passes it hand to hand, wincing slightly as the last of it comes free. The material bounces twice when it hits the floor, and I lean carefully forward, up on my knees so I can kiss her more easily.

A moment later I pull her over on top of me, trailing kisses down her throat, across her shoulder, her soft gasps encouraging, the warm press of her breasts against me, and in sudden mischief I bite her the point of her shoulder, hard, but not hard enough to break the skin.

She gasps louder, presses against me with greater force, and I move on, kissing my way down her arm, wiggling under her in order to continue. She starts on me, trailing soft nibbles up my arm, then nibbling on my fingers, sucking them lightly, and it feels so nice. I catch the web of her thumb firmly between my teeth, and she bites my finger, stroking it with her tongue as I shake my head back and forth a little, pulling lightly on the thick webbing. I let go, making sure that I didn't accidently bite her too hard, then try to kiss her side, but it is out of reach. A moment's contemplation tells me that while being squished is nice, being able to kiss my friend where and when I want is better, so I roll us over onto her back.

She gasps most pleasantly when I stick my tongue in her belly-button, so I suck lightly at it, smiling as she presses up against me, stroking the smooth skin of her sides. The damp warmth of her boxers startles me, and I look up at her.

"I thought only guys had this problem," She looks at me funny, so I stroke the damp spot, and she gasps loudly. Intrigued, I slide my left hand down to the waistband of her boxers, struggle for a moment, then break down and use both hands, stripping the garment off easily. The sock is actually sewn in place, which seems a wise precaution for a martial artist. They quickly join the pile, and I nibble along the red line left by the waistband, enjoying the way she squirms and presses against me, her hands tangled in my hair.

Remembering her earlier reaction, I try stroking her again, my touch light as it slips through her pubic hair, over her petals. She gasps again, pressing her hips up against my hand, gently guiding me with her reactions.

Suddenly she stiffens, a loud strangled gasp escaping her control, her fingers clutching me tightly. Only the steady beat of her pulse keeps me from worrying, and I shift to look into her face as she calms, her breath and pulse slowing.

"What was that?" She looks at me like I'm a total nutcase, which I may well be.

"Let me show you." I look down, her beautiful face dripping sweat, her hair already somewhat tangled, and lower myself down on top of her, kissing her firmly.

I break off the kiss. "Sure."

-8-

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It'll probably help you deal with the admissions process." I look over at her, place my hands on my hips, and strike a pose.

"I don't mean that! I mean," I flutter one hand down my front, "Do you want me to wear this. I've got enough reservations about this plan as it is, and if you don't want me to, or don't like the thought, or do, I need, want, to know. Please?" I bat my eyelashes at her, and she laughs.

"OK, I think you're rediculously cute like that, and I do like the way you look in a proper girls uniform, but if you don't want to, don't."

"Would you be embarassed to walk to school with me like this?" I twirl in front of her, and she laughs again.

"No, I just wonder if you're not too butch to pull it off." I laugh this time.

"I'm small enough that 'butch' translates directly to cute so long as I don't break any bones."

She posilutely guffaws. "OK, let's get out of here."

-8-

Everyone looks at me a little funny as I walk into the classroom, glad to finally have the morning's ordeal dealt with. I never would have thought it would be so much trouble to register for school; never mind that I'd only been one person two days ago, it should not have been so much trouble; I had to invoke Obaba's name to make them let me fill out the forms, and I've this feeling that if I don't get someone to fix things for me I'll end up Chinese. Utchan smiles at me as I walk in, Ranma scowls, and Akane gives me this very strange look, almost a smile but not quite.

The teacher gives me a slightly scared look as he introduces me, but I smile at him anyway. He gulps, pales a bit, and waves me toward the seat next to Utchan, which someone has thoughtfully vacated. I sit down, she squeezes my shoulder, most of the class goes all atwitter, and someome looks at me balefully. I smile back at her, squeeze Utchan's hand, and get to work on the completely boring assignment the teacher is making us do.

Finished with the assignment I fish out my fluff-piece, and get through another couple chapters before the angst gets too deep. I memorize my place again and stuff it away as the class ends, carefully wrapping the fragile artifact before stuffing it into my new school bag, an extravagance I'd not expected from Utchan.

I fish the next of the books I'd borrowed from Haruka-san out of my bag, open it onto my desk, and begin where I'd left off earlier, about three pages in. The words drag me in, full of strange ideas, concepts, and general nastiness I'd never expected, and could hardly believe exist. Only the knowledge that I've led a fairly sheltered life and my trust of Haruka-san's judgement kept me from dismissing it all out of hand. Why would anyone burn another person after tying them to a stake, just because they happen to have power in a community, or don't acknowledge the athority of the rather evil person in charge, or love a person deemed 'inappropriate?'

Hinako-sensei yells at 'Saotome-san,' so I look up to see if she's refering to me. Ranma has someone's fist buried in his gut, and looks mildly discomforted. The someone turns her back on him, then smiles at me, viciously slamming her elbow into his solar plexus when he tries to touch her shoulder. I stare at both of them in shock, quite perplexed, then turn back to my book.

I'm better than halfway through with it by the time lunch rolls around, amazingly without getting hassled by the teachers once, despite my greater than normal lack of attention.

Released, the class floods from the room, leaving just me, Utchan, and the girl who'd been pounding on Ranma all morning alone. She approaches us, and I watch her warily, Utchan tensing beside me.

"Ranma," she asks, "May I speak with you for a moment?" Utchan's tension increases a little bit.

"Go ahead." I step closer to Utchan, emphasising our closeness. She relaxes a little bit as her hand comes to rest on my shoulder.

"Alone, please."

Utchan tenses again, growls, "If you . . . "

"If she tries to hurt me I'll leave some of her for you."

Akane grimaces, but doesn't protest my assesment of her skill-level, and Utchan leaves the room.

"So, why did you want to talk to me?"

"I," she breaks off, reaches for me slowly, wrapping her fingers over my cheeks, then leans forward and kisses me on the lips.

I extract my face from her grip. "That would have been a lot," I break off, start over, "I would have been in a lot better position to enjoy that three days ago."

"Three days ago you were male, looking for a 'cure.' " she emphasizes that last in a way I find peculiar for a moment, then realize what she means.

"And you don't finde males attractive." There is a chill in my heart, knowing that.

"No, yes, Grr! I like you a lot, I think, in fact, that I love you, but you were so concerned about your 'cure,' so focused, that I didn't,"

"Think." I snap coldly, cutting her off. "Do you really think I'd have continued looking for a cure if you'd told me? Do you think I'd have tried a strange fluid in a dusty bottle if it working would have meant I'd loose you?" My voice wavers in both tone and volume, but I don't much care. "You know what? You were the single most important thing in my life." She flinches at the use of past tense, but I continue, "I would not have willingly given up my manhood for the Art, but if you'd asked me," I shake my head, tears trying to escape, "But you didn't. You never even gave me a decently clear sign, never trusted me enough to tell me."

She tries to protest, "It isn't too late,"

"Yes, it is." She gasps like a beached fish when I cut her off again, "I've made promises. Promises to someone who trusts me to keep them. Promises to someone who I care about very deeply. Maybe I love you. Maybe I always will love you, but I can't do anything about it now. If you'd told me sooner, maybe things would be different right now. Sayonara." I turn away from her, tears dripping slowly down my face, and walk out the door. I lean back against the wall and try to contain myself, biting my knuckles firmly. Inside the room I hear a window open.

"Is," a voice, my voice, or at least it was, begins, "What she just said true?"

"Yes." Akane's voice is small.

"So you never loved me, but only her?" There is something I don't want to think about in his voice.

"No. I love you both, but,"

"But?" that edge . . .

"I just don't find you attractive that way." She's crying, I can suddenly tell.

"Then why did you let me look for a cure?" . . . is Ranma trying not to cry . . .

"Because," she gulps, "it seemed to make you happy. If you found a cure I'd have to tell you, but I never thought . . ."

"She is right about that!" Ranma almost barks, "You never seem to think! Who else really cared whether I found a cure or not? Mom accepted me, and no one else ever gave me much hassling over it. I wanted a cure becase I thought you wanted one." He finishes in a smaller voice.

"Why?" Akane almost squeeks.

*Bam* sounds like one of the desks bought it, "The way you acted, skittish when I was male, worse than that when I was female, possessive at all times, but so sweet and caring sometimes too. I thought this, was what you wanted. You can tell she thought the same thing, or she would have come back to you, instead of going to Utchan. Even though you beat on me, even though you continually try to feed me the toxic mess you invariably make when you try to cook, despite everything, you are the center of my world. And I've forever destroyed my chances of being happy with you, because I never knew what you wanted of me, because I never asked and you never told."

"Ranma," Akane's voice is small, shaken.

"Sayonara." Ranma's crying, his voice breaking on the middle of the word, and then a window slams.

-8-

I know how she is feeling, for I have a great deal of experience with it, that knowing that the world has blown up in my face again, and it is all my fault. But there is nothing I can do for her without breaking promises, promises to someone who I probably owe my life, my sanity, promises that are stronger than steel chains and lighter than the whisper of her hair across my face.

"Utchan," I ask, staring at my feet, strange in the black patent leather school shoes, "Would you prefer if I was male?" I concentrate on the pattern of holes in the toe of my left shoe, wondering who decided on shoes with seven holes rather than six or nine.

Instantly she's holding me in her arms, her chin pressed against my shoulder, "Of course not! Whyever would you ask such a thing?"

"'cause what Akane had to tell me." I stare at the wall of the school for a moment, "She, she is, she doesn't find males attractive. She just told me, and Ranma. If you want him." I try to suppress the quaver in my voice during that last sentance, but it comes out anyway.

"So," Utchan's voice is suddenly soft, scared, "You want to pass me on to the other Ranma so you can have Akane?"

I shake my head, "No, but if you would like him instead, I," that quaver is back, "don't want you to be unhappy."

"I love you. I don't think I could deal with him, having known you; please, don't doubt that." She squishes me firmly in her arms, then pushes me back again, "I have your bentou."

The thought of food focuses my attention nicely, now that my worries are not pounding on my head anymore, and it quickly dissappears.

"Hey," Utchan pulls my attention, and I look up after catching the last grain of rice, "I forgot to thank you for making me lunch yesterday, so let me make it up to you," she reaches for me, and I let her draw me into her arms, and she kisses me, her tongue stroking my own, a very lovely feeling that seems to last forever.

"Hey, you. Why have you abandoned your pursuit of my Ranma-sama for this boy?" It takes a moment to pull myself back into reality, and another to place the voice.

"Kunou Kodachi-san!" I turn and smile up at her, "I was never after your Ranma. I was your Ranma, body and soul, to quote Nabiki. Hot water turned me into him, and cold water turned him into me. Recently that curse was broken, and now we are two seperate people."

Kodachi blinks, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. Finally she calms, "That would explain a few things. How could you give up your hold on someone who was yourself. You say he is now free to pursue others?"

"Akane," I press myself back against Utchan, "Who was very attractive to both of us, neglected to let slip that she found _me_ attractive and not him, and it came as a shock when she finally deigned to tell us today. I don't even know if he still likes girls after that." Kodachi gets a strange expression on her face, and wanders quietly away.

"I hope you didn't give her too many ideas. He is my friend, you know."

"I think she'll try not to shock him again; maybe it'll be good for both of them."

Utchan shakes her head, hugging me against her again.

--- log:  
1999 sometime -- written  
2001 Jan 7: added log, and header.  
2002 July 27: changed contact address  
2009 Jul 5: mauled for posting to ff.n


	3. Chapter 3

presenting  
at long last  
a story by  
Suika Roberts  
inspired by  
Webdragon 's  
Nullifier 122

[-rse?][Nullification][one hundred][twenty][two][potion?formula?]  
Episode 3

Saotome Ranma walks away from the fight, his opponent down for the count, a shimmering rage suffusing his body, making his hands shake.

`Hey, Ranma,' Daisuke calls from a safe distance, `Ranma is looking for you.'

`What does she want?' he asks, anger coloring his tone.

`The teachers want one of you to use a different name.'

`I'll fight her for it,' Ranma says, and stalks off.

`What is it?' Ranma asks from Ukyou's lap.

`You want my name, too,' Ranma growls, `after you've taken everything else?'

`I lost my manhood. Permanently.'

`I lost Akane. Also permanently.'

`Point. I will keep my name, but I'll use a different one -- good enough?'

`Fine, Ran_ko_,' Ranma sneers.'

`Ranka,' she corrects.

`Uncontrolled fire. Suits her, doesn't it?' Ukyou asks, hugging "Ranka" to her chest.

`I suppose,' Ranma growls, and stalks off.

`What's with him?' Ukyou asks.

`Who has he been touching?' Ranka asks, `Ryouga. Kunou. Mousse. A couple Challenger-of-the-days. People who are always angry.'

`Oh. What can we do?'

`I can't think of anything more -- we told the interested people, and they vanished. We don't even have any new fiancees, haven't for months. I'm worried about him.'

`You think he might really die?'

`I think he might end up permanently angry -- the only time he touches anyone, or anyone touches him, is during a fight,' Ranka cuddles down into Ukyou's arms a little deeper.

-8-

`Hey,' Saiyuu, one of the new students, a Chinese boy, black braid to the middle of his back, says, `What's got you steamed this time?'

`Kunou.'

`Me?' Kunou Tachihiko, the other new student, asks, rubbing the back of his short-cropped head.

`No, your idiot cousin. He was going on about my ensourceling his loves when I cast them off, one to the other and the other to "That Other Pervert",' his fingers tighten, and more of the already chewed-looking table crumbles. He drops his head gently to its surface.

`It'll be OK,' Saiyuu says, laying a callused hand on Ranma's shoulder, `Idiots tend to have low reproductive success, so your kids shouldn't have to deal with idiot Kunou children.'

`I'm related to him. That's always worried me,' Tachihiko scowls.

`I don't think it's genetic -- his sister's a bit loopy, but it's an act,' Ranma, calmer, clouts his friend on the back.

`It is? How can you tell?' he asks, rubbing his shoulder.

`She's good, but I can tell -- she pauses at the wrong places, thinks about it too much. She'd be a better martial artist if she let it go.'

`I'll tell her you said that,' Tachihiko smiles a bit.

`Please don't -- I haven't seen her in a week, and it's been so nice. Quiet, too.'

`You mean you don't like being the object of every girl's affection?' Saiyuu asks, `I wouldn't mind all the looks, giggles, and dropped voices you get.'

`They think I'm a freak.'

`They think you're the prettiest girl and the coolest boy in school. Not the prettiest girl anymore, but . . . ' Tachihiko says.

`How do you know?'

`I asked. I eavesdropped. Most of them would like to be your girl -- quite a few would like to just fuck you, boy or girl or both. A few of the boys watch you like that, too,' he gives a half-smirk, `but more of them watch the other Ranma.'

`Ranka,' he draws the kanji on the desk with his finger, leaving no marks, `It's a good name.'

`But?'

`I'm just so angry it pisses me off.'

`Which doesn't help, I'm sure.'

`No, it doesn't,' Ranma laughs, his mood lifted somewhat.

`Spar for a little bit?' Saiyuu asks.

`Sure,' Ranma bounds to his feet and gives Tachihiko a hand up while Saiyuu rises gracefully on his own.

-8-

`How did you learn Martial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics? I didn't know males competed in it.'

`They don't -- I just had to master it before my parents would pay for training in anything else. I'm still a student.'

`That sucks,' Ranma thinks for a little bit, `I could teach you a number of different styles.'

`That would be cool. I could teach you more Martial Arts Rythmic Gymnastics.'

`It's a weapon's style -- once one knows the weapons, one knows most of it.'

`I heard about your match with my cousin -- that one was pure brute strength, no artistry at all.'

`Oh?' Ranma asks archly.

`Yes! Watch,' Tachihiko throws himself into a double layed-out backflip down the hall, his hands not touching the ground in the middle of the move, bounds forward and summersaults along the ceiling.

`Well,' he asks, back on the floor.

`That ceiling trick was nice,` Ranma admits.

Ranka pulls back into the classroom, `It's good to see he's gotten some new friends, and these ones seem to be good for him, too.'

`Tachihiko and Saiyuu are rather cool, in a bishonen way.'

`They are rather bishonen, aren't they. I hadn't noticed,' Ranka smiles at that.

`I noticed because I was one. Not that I have eyes for anyone else,' she reaches out and gives Ranka's hand a squeeze.

`Better not,' Ranka's voice is a mock growl.

Ranma, Tachihiko, Saiyuu, and the teacher arrive at about the same time.

Ukyou squeezes Ranka's hand again, then drops it.

-8-

Ranma, Tachihiko, and Saiyuu are doing forms, topless, sweat dripping down their forms, hair damp.

`Enough,' Ranma says, `Tachihiko's about to collapse.'

`No,' he gasps, `I can keep going for another hour or so.'

`You might be able too, but you're not using your chi right -- You're burning it for power, not using it for restoration.'

`I wouldn'ta put it that way, but he's right -- don't focus your ki on keeping going, but on how you do your form. After you get that down you'll start learning how to use it for self-healing.'

`How,' *gasp*, `About healing others?'

`Like this,' Saiyuu lays a hand on Tachihiko's chest.

Tachihiko's breath slows, his face lightens from the bright red it had taken on. He raises his hand and brushes sweat around in his short hair, getting some of it out, `Wow -- that's amazing. How does it work? Do you use your ki to fix the other person?'

`No, I change the way your chi flows, and you heal yourself.'

`Like the way Dr. Toufuu works,' Ranma says, `I need to learn that.'

`It'll be more difficult to teach you -- Your chi is very strong, difficult to disrupt or move.'

`And you learned by having someone heal at you,' Ranma says.

`Yeah,' Saiyuu says, contemplatively, `But if you pay attention you could probably feel it when I make the attempt.'

`Let's see,' Ranma says, stepping close.

Saiyuu lays a hand on him.

`That tickles,' he says, `Yeah, I can feel how to change it,' he steps back, `How do you know where to change it to?'

`Some people use their own bodies, other people know what the patterns are supposed to be like for different people-'

`Like how my ki felt different when I was a girl, or how a pregnant woman's ki is all knotted, no, swirly.'

`Yep, if one isn't careful-'

`You can really mess someone up. Who uses this sort of thing in combat?'

`Desperate people, and dead ones. Using it once or twice when there are no other good options is worrying. Anyone who uses it all the time,' pause, `It is our obligation to hunt them down and kill them,' Saiyuu shrugs a little.

`You ever kill anyone?' Tachihiko asks, `I came too close, once.'

`No,' Ranma says.

`I had someone I was supposed to kill, once, but I couldn't.'

`Couldn't because they were too strong?' Tachihiko asks, drying himself with a towel.

`No, because they really hadn't done anything wrong. I couldn't kill them after my blood had cooled.'

`Is that why you're here?'

`In part. I'm at Furinkan because we got booted from Tachihiko's last school.'

`OK. So you're staying with your cousin?' he asks Tachihiko.

`Yeah. Tatewaki is . . . difficult.'

`How is his sister? I haven't seen her, or Shanpuu, come to think of it, in nearly two weeks.'

`Shanpuu is a purple-haired Chinese girl? Busty?' Tachihiko holds his hands cupped in front of his chest.

`Yep.'

`They've been hanging out together a lot, recently. They're probably up to something.'

`Probably,' Ranma says, grimacing.

`I'm going to get something to eat. Would you like to come along? I'll pay.'

`Sure,' Ranma wipes himself quickly with a towel, wrings a little more sweat from his braid, and wiggles into his shirt.

Saiyuu just nods, already dressed.

-8-

`Hey, thanks for dinner!' Ranma calls, already up on a nearby rooftop before he remembers his manners.

Tachihiko and Saiyuu join him, `Your're welcome,' and Saiyuu gives him a hug.

Ranma stiffens, then returns it, thumping him on the back.

`Hey, you want a hug too?' Ranma asks Tachihiko, a smirk on his face.

`Sure,' Tachihiko smirks back, and squeezes him hard.

`See you tomorrow!' Ranma calls, and bounds away.

-8-

`I feel like a pervert,' Ranka says, watching from a little bit away.

`Look like one, too,' Cologne says from next to her.

`Good job -- I didn't know you were there until right before I spoke,' a smirk flits across Ranka's face, more obscured by the gathering dusk than the black cloth tied under her nose, `Why are you here?'

`Just checking up on my great-grandaughter and her friend's latest scheme.'

`Great-grandaughter? . . . Saiyuu,' she shakes her head, `It does seem to be working, if that is the goal. Tachihiko would be Kodachi, then?'

Cologne nods.

`Instant Nanniichuan?'

Cologne nods again.

`She asked you not to tell, didn't she?'

Cologne nods again.

`Then it is a good thing I figured this out on my own, isn't it. Makes me worry a lot less.'

`That is good to know,' Cologne smiles, and hops away.

Ranka smiles, and leaps for the next roof.

-8-

`Hey, you know how I told Kodachi I wasn't even sure if the other Ranma still liked girls?'

`Yeah,' Ukyou sounds a little confused.

`Seems she and Shanpuu took it to heart.'

Ukyou looks even more confused for a little bit, then her face blossoms into shocked understanding, `Saiyuu and Tachihiko!'

`Yep,' smirk.

`Knew they were too pretty to be real boys.'

`Should I be jealous or something?'

`Of course not,' Ukyou gathers Ranka up in her arms and kisses her thoughroughly, her hands slipping up under Ranka's shirt.

-8-

`So,' Tachihiko says, eyes closed, head back against the edge of the bath, `Do you think we scared him?'

`No, he didn't run away. He's responding, I can feel it.'

`Told you hanging out at a gay bar would be decent research.'

`But he watches girls. Rather avidly, in fact.'

`We've been watching them, too.'

`Appreciating them, even. Never thought that would happen,' Saiyuu smiles, a little bit crookedly, `Leastwise not on my part.'

`I think I might have always liked girls, somewhat. Were you watching that girl, last Saturday, who was at the match?'

`The curvey one? Who kept screaming your name? Yeah, she was rather nice looking,' Saiyuu says.

`I was rather fascinated. Nearly distracted, even,' Tachihiko says, opening his eyes, `Hey! You lying wench! You're hard!'

`You're fine, too, but yeah, that girl was really nice looking.'

`You!' Tachihiko yells, and dunks the other boy.

-8-

`Rise! Bow! Sit!' the class rep calls.

Ranka looks over at Saiyuu and Tachihiko, and smiles. She draws out a sheet of paper, scribbles a quick note, and folds it carefully. An instant later, it vanishes.

Saiyuu picks it up, opens it, `Hey, that uniform looked good on you, Saturday. I had been wondering who you were, and why you had been watching me so avidly, almost as avidly as you were watching Kodachi. Nice dye job - Kodachi was in a wig?'

Saiyuu looks up at Ranka, and nods.

Ranma is oblivious.

-8-

Three sweaty boys drop down on their heels, then sit.

Saiyuu turns to Ranma, leans forward, and kisses him.

Ranma sits stock-still, and Saiyuu slips further over onto him, rubbing his thigh. Ranma suddenly responds, wrapping his arms around the other boy, lips parting, tongue slipping into his mouth.

Tachihiko starts rubbing his hand up Ranma's other thigh, rubbing his penis through his pants. Ranma groans, parting his thighs further, then rips his lips from Saiyuu, reaching for Tachihiko's lips.

Tachihiko kisses him hard, almost bruising.

Saiyuu's hand joins Tachihiko's, and with another groan Ranma comes in his pants.

Breaking the kiss with Tachihiko he plasters his lips against Saiyuu's again, eyes closed.

-8-

`Did we scare him off?' Shanpuu asks, looking down, up to her neck in the bathwater.

`Probably. He left really quick,' Kodachi replies, equally dejected.

`He was enjoying it.'

`Yeah, but a lot of enjoyable things are really scary.'

`Maybe Ranka will straighten him out,' Shanpuu says, `Come over here, might as well be miserable together,' she holds her arms out.

`Don't really want him straight. Just a little gay would be perfect, don't you think?' Kodachi nuzzles down against Shanpuu, her face in Shanpuu's hair.

-8-

`Ranka! Ranka! I need to talk to you!' Ranma calls frantically, pounding on Ukyou's door.

`Come in,' she tells him, opening the door, looking quite disheveled, maybe even debauched, dressed in a too-large men's yukata.

`What's wrong?' Ranka pours herself a cup of cold tea, and offers the pot to Ranma, who pours himself a cup of the bitter, over-steeped brew.

`I kissed a boy. No, I kissed _two_ boys, and it was nice.'

`Nice?'

`Wonderful, better than anything I've felt before,' he stares down into his cup, `So, am I a fag? I liked it, I really did?'

`Do you find girls sexually attractive?'

`Yes. Too many of them. More of them than ever before.'

`Boys?'

He pauses a long moment, then shakes his head.

`Tachihiko and Saiyuu?'

He looks startled, then nods.

`I'd guess you're straight, or nearly so, and in love, the early stages of it, with them,' Ranka looks into her own cup, swirling her tea, `They have a couple of secrets they need to share with you, but they aren't trying to hurt you, remember that when they come out, OK?'

`Then these secrets,' he sips his tea, `Are rather bad?'

`No, just a little unexpected. Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about.'

`Should I have figured it out by now?'

`I didn't until Cologne gave me a big clue.'

`The old bat? What was she doing?'

`Checking up on her great-grandaughter.'

Ranma ponders.

`While I was checking up on you, 'bout sunset last night.'

Ranma ponders, then faults suddenly, `No.'

`Yep. Kodachi got a cut, and Shanpuu hit the dye.'

`And with instant that's quite enough of a disguise,' he smirks a little ruefully, `And they all but told me, too.'

`Oh?'

`Yeah, Tachihiko told me Kodachi was hanging around with Shanpuu, apparently plotting something,' he drains his cup, hands it back, `You've really helped, thank you.'

`You're welcome,' Ranka drains her own cup, sets it down, and shows Ranma to the door, yawning a little after she closes the door.

-8-

`Tachihiko! Saiyuu!' Ranma calls, running up to his friends.

`Oi, Ranma!' Tachihiko calls back.

`Sorry if I scared you last night, but I was a little rocked.'

`Rocked?' Saiyuu asks.

`Shaken, sort of like when I got cursed. I'm better now, went to talk to the other me, and she let me in on a little secret, but not until after she got me calmed down about the two of you,' Ranma smiles at them.

`Oh?' Tachihiko arches.

`Come around with me, please,' Ranma waves his hand, and the other two follow.

At the "most convienient copse of trees on the grounds" Ranma backs Tachihiko up against a tree, stands between his legs, pulls the taller boy's head down, and kisses him.

Tachihiko moans, pulling Ranma up straddle his thigh.

Ranma breaks the kiss, smiles, `Ranka didn't quite tell me, but she gave me the big clues, Kodachi,' he turns his head, `Shanpuu.'

`You're not mad?' Tachihiko asks.

`I was willing before I learned, so I should be after. No, I'm not mad, a little surprised, but not mad,' he reaches an arm out, and Saiyuu comes close, getting kissed on the lips.

-8-

Ranma, Tachihiko and Saiyuu walk to class together, to be greeted by a smiling Ranka and Ukyou.

-8-

END

---  
log:  
2002/Apr/7: paper draft  
2002/apr/8: paper ed  
2002/apr/14: started copying up to web.  
2002/may/14: copied some more.  
2002/Jun/9: finished copying.  
2009/Jul/12: Tiny edits, mauled for posting to ff.n

--- notes:  
* Saiyuu was romanized `Sai Yuk' originally. I stole it from a movie, and used a more phonetic romanization.  
* Akane is still hanging. Oh well.


	4. Epilog

I borrowed the characters from Shogakukan, Takahashi Rumiko, Kodansha, and Takeuchi Naoko. If they ever learn of it, I hope they say nice things.

presenting  
at long last  
a story by  
Suika Roberts  
inspired by  
Webdragon's  
Nullifier 122

[-rse?][Nullification][one hundred][twenty][two][potion?formula?]

Epilog

Saotome Ranma, called Ranka by most, these days, settled back against her intended and smiled, sunlight warm on her face.

*

Tendou Akane enters Utchan's Okonomiyaki with a determined stride, pauses just inside the curtain, then comes the rest of the way to the counter.

'Ukyou?' she asks, holding out her hand.

'Akane?'

'I've come to ask you something,' she slumps a little, 'Sorry, and I spent so much time practicing this too,' she straightens, 'I've got a proposition for you.'

'A proposition?' Ranma asks, stepping up beside Ukyou and wrapping an arm around her waist.

'Yes,' Akane smiles hopefully, 'I would like your hand.'

Ukyou holds one out, the one not wrapped around Ranma's shoulders.

Akane takes it, wrapping her hand about the fingers so the back and knuckles are up, 'And Ranka's.'

Ranma holds out a hand, and Akane grips it her her left, the same way as she has Ukyou's, 'Will you marry me?' she asks, looking at the each in turn.

Ukyou blinks, and nearly flinches.

Ranma just stares.

'You don't have to answer right away,' Akane says, and leans forward, giving each hand a kiss before letting go of them both.

Ukyou and Ranma don't even glance at each other before grabbing Akane's hands.

'I-' Ranma starts.

'We-' Ukyou does too.

They look at each other, and Ranma gives a crooked smile before continuing, 'We don't know if we could do it, since we both get kinda jealous, but maybe it could work, so, if you want to test the waters, for a little while, we'll go along?' she looks at Ukyou for confirmation, who nods.

'Yay!' Akane squeeks, and leans over the grill to try and hug them both, but bounces back quickly when she nearly burns her belly.

*

Ranma shakes her head, pillowed on Ukyou's lap, and smiles, 'That was rather a nice daydream.'

'Yes,' Ukyou agrees, 'It'll never happen, though.'

'Nope. I like how they're in color.'

'What? How did your daydreams go, then?'

'They were sorta grey, but I could feel things, people, myself, movements, and words.'

'Ah, so that's where the kinesthetics came from.'

'Kinesthetics?'

'Sense of one's own body position and movement.'

'Ah. Were the smells yours, too?'

'No, I'm not sure where those came from.'

*

*Ah-Choo!* Akane tries to be discreet about wiping her nose, "That was a nice little daydream. I'll never get the courage to do it, though."

*

Once upon a time, and a very good time it was--

'Ranma! This is all your fault!' a female voice yells.

Akane looks up from the book at the commotion. A quick glance convinces her that Ranma is once again at the center of the action, but not, this time, the instigator, despite what the girl in the outsized clothes and somehow familiar bandanna seems to think.

'Shanpuu!' Mousse yells again, tossing another waterballon, 'Stop dodging! I'm trying to cure you!'

The fortunate member of the chemistry club sits down, clutching her new busom, and crying, Akane thinks, tears of happiness, unlike the poor American transfer student, who's short blonde hair is glistening in the sun as she stands, eyes wide, immobile, stunned.

'I'm over here!' Saiyuu calls, 'Put your glasses on!'

'Shanpuu!' Mousse looses another balloon, 'I love you!'

'Wrong boy!' Ranma growls, her slight frame dripping wet.

Akane's heart tightens in her chest, and her eyes dart to where Ukyou and Ranka are also watching from a safe distance.

'This Chisuiton water -'

Everyone but the transfer student scrambles backward, having been around long enough to have heard that story.

'Put your motherfucking glasses on!' Ranma yells, her voice strident.

'Ranma?' Mousse sounds confused, 'Weren't you cured?'

'I WAS!'

Mousse reaches up to pull his glasses down, and dumps the cup of water down . . . her front in the process. Everyone who knows about the blind boy stares, and so does the transfer student. She's even taller than she was as a boy, nearly two meters, slender, long curved horns sticking out of her long black hair above her ears, her skin even paler than his had been, something large straining her robe at the back. After a few seconds the garment concedes the battle, and a pair of great white wings burst free.

She finishes putting her glasses on, and takes a look at Ranma, who's being comforted by Saiyuu and Tachihiko, then looks around the yard, at the three still wet young women, at Ranka who's held protectively in Ukyou's arms, back at Saiyuu and Tachihiko, who are leading Ranma away, snippets of comforting and salacious whispers escaping, and sits down, her horned head dropping into her hands as she starts to cry.

Now Akane is only slightly better at handling a girl's tears than Ranma, so very shortly she finds herself next to the cursed boy.

'What's wrong?' she asks.

Mousse looks up at her, 'Isn't it obvious?'

'I can't say as it is,' Akane sits down beside the winged girl, 'You were cursed before, and Shanpuu has always been indifferent to you-'

'I'm even uglier than before-'

Akane makes a disbelieving noise.

Mousse continues, 'And I'm a girl, even if I get unlocked, part time.'

'And that is a problem why?'

'Shanpuu doesn't like girls.'

'Not anymore,' Akane corrects, 'I'm more surprised by Ranma liking boys, even though his two are really girls.'

'Who is the other one?'

'Kodachi. If you ask nicely, they may let you join them, if you're willing to put up with their being boys,' Akane makes a face.

'I always liked the way Shanpuu was so boyish,' Mousse says.

'Shanpuu? Boyish?'

'I wasn't very good at boy things, cooking, cleaning, childcare, sewing, and got picked on for it, and for being good at fighting and hunting and other girl things. Shanpuu always looked out for me, and she was good at boy things, pretty, a good fighter. She wasn't very good at saying what she means, but I suck at that, too.'

'She's always been pretty blunt about how she feels about me.'

'If she really doesn't like me, why didn't she let one of the other women have me? I mean, Razor's husbands are all meek little things, but she doesn't beat them anymore, and she's good to her kids, boys and girls both, and Mug's only old enough to be my grandmother.'

'She didn't let a husband-beater or a dirty old woman have you, so she must like you?'

'You know how Japanese girls get all "Christmas Cake"?'

Akane nods.

'An Amazon boy who's not married by seventeen is in a similar fix.'

'That's awful, why do you put up with that?'

'Why do you put up with a society that demands its best citizens be married and out of the workforce by twenty-five?'

'That's different, and I don't.'

'Oh?'

'I'm a lesbian.'

'What's that?'

'A woman who likes women.'

'Isn't that most women?'

'I mean sexually.'

'So do I. Shanpuu is, was, one of like three women back in the villiage who didn't.'

'Wow. What about the boys?'

'Don't know, don't much care.'

'Isn't that kind of a double standard?'

'Men tend to be much more discreet, since their wives tend to get all bent out of shape when, like last year, with Bowl and Basin's husbands, they don't get along. Of course, with Bowl and Basin, they were very close when they were younger, and had a falling out over some other girl who neither of them ended up with, so after a lot of nastyness their husbands got them talked around, and the resultant reunion kept the neighbors up for days, so that really isn't a good example,' Mousse smiles, her cheeks dimpling and a tiny blush bringing a bit of color to her white cheeks.

Akane smiles back reflexively, reaches out, stops, continues at Mousse's wide-eyed look, cupping one porcelain cheek.

Mousse blinks, 'Why?'

'You're so pretty,' Akane closes her eyes and blushes, totally missing the poleaxed look on Mousse's face.

'No I'm not! I've got horns, and wings, and a tail, and I'm white as a corpse, and my tits are too big, and . . . and-' Mousse goes silent as Akane presses her thumb to Mousse's lips.

'You were pretty as a boy,' Akane smiles again, 'I was rather sad you were a boy, in fact, when I first saw you,' her fingers stroke Mousse's cheek, who leans into the touch, eyes half closing, 'And now,' Akane's smile turns into a lascivious smirk for just a moment, 'Those lovely green eyes aren't all that's drawing attention.

Mousse blinks, looks around to see half the school still watching, then flushes a blotchy pale pink, rises to her feet and vanishes in a few beats of her swanlike wings, her shredded robes fluttering and gapping open.

Akane stares after her for a few moments longer. 'Oh well,' she sighs, then walks to her first class.

A couple minutes after that, the transfer student looks up from where she was staring at the front of her shirt, 'Help?' she asks plaintively. But everyone has left already.

*

'Mousse,' Saiyuu addresses the winged girl, sprawled on his old cot at the Nekohanten, nude except for a towel and her wings, one of which is pulled over her head, and the other covering her butt and most of her back and legs, the tip of her thick grey and green striped tail curled around the front edge.

'What?' she almost sighs the question.

'You should talk to Akane,' Saiyuu leans against the wall, 'She called us to ask about you.'

'Why didn't she call here?'

'Because she doesn't want to talk to Great-Grandmother, something about not wanting to experience three hundred years of Amazon history.'

'She didn't.'

'She did.'

'She should hide -- you don't turn down an elder unless you're sure they're joking.'

'She was, but she doesn't know that yet, so she called us, and I am to tell you to get dressed and go visit her.'

'Why?'

'She's totally smitten.'

'Why?' Mousse stands, and drops her towel, 'I'm hideous.'

Saiyuu blinks, 'That's not the description I would use,' he shifts and adjusts his pants.

Mousse doesn't notice, 'I keep hitting my breasts with things, my horns catch on everything,' she turns, 'I've got feathers all down my back and the top of my tail,' Mousse points with the tip of her thick, python-smooth tail as she speaks, 'My wings are some combination of duck and crane, I can't speak right, and I've got scales on the back of my neck!'

'You've got green and grey stripes in the feathers on your back, which match your snakey tail.'

'See!'

'It's utterly adorable. If I didn't love you like the little brother I'd always wanted, I'd be so tempted now,' he shifts again, 'So put some clothes on, I don't want scary sibling incest dreams, OK?'

'What?' Mousse turns around, gets a good look at Saiyuu, and wraps her wings around her body, 'Sorry.'

'Don't be,' Saiyuu shrugs, 'It's my hangup,' he shifts again.

'Have you always felt this way?'

'Pretty much.'

'Then why didn't you tell me?'

''Cause I didn't know how,' he shrugs again, 'It's Kodachi's fault, I'm sure.'

'How?'

'She's the one who understood this emotional crap. Ranma and I suck at it.'

'Oh?'

'How else could she act so crazy without going crazy for real?'

'Are you sure she didn't?'

'Pretty sure.'

'If you don't want to see me, you should probably step out.'

'I should probably get over it.'

'Yes, but not today. Out.'

'Yes, Princess.'

'What?'

'You're the eldest girl in your family, and you haven't tested yet, Ojousan.'

'But I'm not --'

'Locked?'

'Oh,' Mousse stares down at the robe in her hands.

*

'Hey,' Akane greets Mousse, taking in the sight.

Mousse's outfit leaves a lot of skin exposed due to her wings and tail, and the fact that clothes aren't comfortable over feathers.

'May I?' Mousse asks after a few moments, gesturing inside.

'Oh, sure, come on up,' Akane blinks out of her daze and steps back out of the way.

Mousse turns around at the foot of the stairs, 'Akane?'

Akane blinks again, closes her mouth with a click, and hurries after.

'Am I that horrible to look at?' Mousse asks when Akane reaches her, 'And where do you want me?'

Akane blinks at the percieved innuendo, then answers, 'Not at all, your butt, . umm, your back, is very distracting, no, pretty, that's it, pretty.'

Mousse smiles at Akane's cute blush as she stumbles over her words.

'And if I've not scared you, you can come up to my room.'

'Fine,' Mousse says, and precedes Akane up the stairs at Akane's gesture.

Akane stands at the bottom of the steps, watching, until Mousse reaches the the landing, then hurries after while Mousse watches, bemused.

'You really like looking at my butt, don't you?' Mousse emphasizes her point with a touch of tail to Akane's cheek.

Akane smiles at the gentle touch, 'It is a lovely shape,' she allows, grabbing Mousse's tail and stroking the smooth scales, 'They're soft,' she says, 'I thought they'd be hard.'

Her tail wraps around Akane's wrist, 'They're like python scales,' Mousse agrees, 'Very soft.'

'Come along,' Akane says, wrapping her other hand over Mousse's tail before climbing up the last flight of stairs.

Mousse follows willingly enough.

'So,' Akane starts after a few minutes of awkward silence, both of them watching her pet the soft, fat tail wrapped around her wrist, 'Why did you come by?'

'Um,' Mousse's thick, pale skin doesn't blush well, 'You're cute, sexy, helpful, and you told Saiyuu to tell me to visit,' she glances down, then continues, 'And I kinda wanted you to kiss me, the other day.'

'I'm sexy?' Akane scoffs, 'Says the girl with lovely long legs, a perfect butt, and a lovely busom.'

'Even with the tail?'

'Especially with the tail,' Akane brings her wrist up to place a chaste, closed-lip kiss on that appendage.

Mousse uncoils her tail from Akane's wrist and gently pulls it into her own lap, 'It isn't a bad tail, but I don't, it doesn't,' she pauses, 'Women aren't supposed to have tails,' she manages after a bit.

'Why do you have a tail?'

'Jusenkyo.'

'I knew that much! Details!' Akane orders, a little laugh in her voice.

Mousse smiles, 'I'd heard Shanpuu had gotten cursed to be a boy, so I went to Jusenkyo, found the proper spring, got a cask filled, dropped the second one in, and had to fish it out. Fell most of the way in, jerked myself out, managed to sit my dumb ass down in spring of yeti riding bull carrying snake and crane, and I still had to get that second cask out of Nyanniichuan,' she shrugs, 'Could have been much worse.'

'Why didn't you visit Nanniichuan while you were there?'

'It wouldn't have worked -- I wouldn't have found it, or I'da fallen in some other spring on the way out, and I don't ever want to be unable to fly.'

'That must be nice.'

'Even as a duck, being able to fly was wonderful, now,' a look of pure bliss flits over her face, 'Nothing compares.'

'Nothing?' Akane asks.

'Nothing yet.'

Akane leans over, cups Mousse's cheek in her hand, and kisses her gently on the lips.

Mousse's eyes drift closed and she leans into the kiss, her hands coming up to tangle in Akane's hair, her tail and wings wrapping around the smaller woman's body.

'So?' Akane asks.

'That was very nice,' Mousse smiles, 'Could we do it again?'

Akane smiles, stands, pivots so she's pressed right up against Mousse's demurely pressed together knees. She leans forward and kisses Mousse again, her hands cupping the taller woman's shoulders.

Mousse whimpers prettily, her knees parting as she pulls Akane close.

Akane breaks the kiss for an instant, moaning and pressing closer. Mousse's wings wrap around her, and their lips meet again, hands sliding a little lower as Akane's toungue slips into Mousse's mouth.

Mousse first lightly cups Akane's butt, then squeezes it, kneading lightly at the firm, padded flesh. Akane moans, pressing closer, her hands sliding around to cradle Mousse's breasts, enjoying the warm, soft weight overflowing her hands. Both of them gasp when her fingers brush hardened nipples.

Mousse breaks the kiss, pressing Akane back by her hips, soft feathers trailing over Akane's bare shoulders.

Akane shudders, blinking, a little dazed, 'Why?'

'Too fast,' Mousse says, her breath sharp and rapid, pupils dialated, long black hair mussed.

'Too fast?' Akane asks, taking another step back, her fingers trailing down Mousse's arms to take her hands in her own.

Mousse gives her hands a squeeze, 'I'm not-- I won't-- I don't want to mess this up, this is the second time I've had a girl who actually liked me--'

'That's not true,' Akane says, continuing without noticing Mousse's stricken look, 'Lots of girls think you're pretty, thought you were pretty as a guy. Several of my friends, classmates, anyway, were scared off by the obsessive way you were about Shanpuu.'

'What?' Mousse asks, disbelieving, 'Really?'

Akane smiles and knods.

'Wow,' Mousse smiles, clutching Akane into a hug, 'Thanks.'

'Don't mention it.'

Mousse pulls back, gives Akane a quick, closed-mouth kiss, then gets to her feet, 'Call me?' she asks.

'Sure. When?'

'Whenever,' Mousse waves, climbs onto the windowsill, 'Soon.'

Akane steps up to the window and goes up onto her toes to kiss Mousse, 'I will,' she says, her fingers lingering on Mousse's face.

'Shanpuu's great-grandmother was joking, so you can just call,' Mousse says, 'I'll talk to you then.'

'I'm looking forward to it.'

'So am I,' Mousse says, then leans backward out the window, shoving off with her feet and spreading her wings.

Akane watches with a smile on her face as Mousse flies off.

- fin -

log:  
2004/Dec/29:started paper draft  
2005/Jan/2:started typing in. Couple scenes aren't in the paper draft, so they may change more.  
2005/Feb/4:finished typing in. The loose ends are, mostly, tied. Heh.  
2009/Aug/2:Mauled for posting to ff.n


End file.
